Eyes are windows to the bodies health. Photo: Motivatedphotos.com
Have you ever wondered if the eyes really are a window to the soul? Possibly, but the eyes are definitely a window to the rest of the body.
The eyes are the only place in the body, where the blood vessels can be seen with a naked eye. These are the same blood vessels that course through the rest of your body. Any health problems that affect your blood vessels will be visible in your eyes. Early detection of a systemic health problem is possible. This allows for the treatment to be started early. Monitoring treatment effectiveness is also possible and so is monitoring progression.
• Hypertension – elevated blood pressure is typically silent. This means that your blood pressure can be elevated and you may not feel any different. You may, in fact, feel completely fine. A visit to an eye doctor that includes a dilated eye exam may reveal changes in your retinal blood vessels that may indicate hypertension. A blood pressure check can then confirm it. Treatment can be initiated early. Early treatment may involve only dietary and behavioral modifications without the need for medications. If the problem is advanced, medications may need to be started.
• Diabetes – elevated blood sugar may result in vision changes. Some of these changes are due to temporary changes in the lens of the eye. Once the blood sugar is normal again, vision may return to normal. If blood sugar is elevated for a long time, changes may occur in the blood vessels. The blood vessels throughout the body are affected, including kidneys, heart, and the eyes. An eye doctor can detect these changes by examining the retina. Eye exams are critical in detecting diabetes and monitoring response to treatment.
• Heart disease– heart disease may be a cause or a consequence of blood vessel disease throughout the body. Monitoring the health of the blood vessels in the retina will indirectly monitor the health of the blood vessels throughout the body, including the heart. A serious heart condition that involves heart valves may result in the valve infection during certain procedures, including dental procedures. Infected valves can release emboli into blood stream that may end up in small blood vessels throughout the body. These emboli may be visible in the eye, making the diagnosis possible. Early diagnosis will result in early treatment initiation.
Do’s and Don’ts for eye exams to save your health:
• Do start having yearly eye exams when you turn 40
• Do start having eye exams earlier if you have family history of hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease
• Do have an eye exam as soon as you are diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease
• Do make sure that your initial and yearly eye exam includes dilation
• Do follow eye doctor’s instructions on how often you need to have eye exams
• Don’t procrastinate – early detection will result in better treatment outcomes
Pacific Vision Institute www.pacificvision.org
American Diabetes Association www.diabetes.org
American Heart Association www.americanheart.org
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